306 results about "Device Usage" patented technology

Methods are disclosed for estimating parameters of a probability model that models user behavior of shared devices offering different classes of service for carrying out jobs. In operation, usage job data of observed users and devices carrying out the jobs is recorded. A probability model is defined with an observed user variable, an observed device variable, a latent job cluster variable, and a latent job service class variable. A range of job service classes associated with the shared devices is determined, and an initial number of job clusters is selected. Parameters of the probability model are learned using the recorded job usage data, the determined range of service classes, and the selected initial number of job clusters. The learned parameters of the probability model are applied to evaluate one or more of: configuration of the shared devices, use of the shared devices, and job redirection between the shared devices.

Methods and systems for scheduling media content presentation across multiple devices are disclosed. A media planner application generates media event presentation schedules for one or more users based on user-scheduled media events and automatic media event recommendations. Media events can be scheduled for presentation on multiple user devices, including portable devices. Media event recommendations can be generated based at least in part on user preferences and habits, such as user media preferences, device availability, device usage, device connectivity, and user mood.

A device usage monitoring and control system for accomplishing parental monitoring and control of devices connected to a home network includes a permissions module receiving and storing control commands from a parent defining permissions with respect to one or more children. The permissions specify levels of access to devices connected to a home network and/or classifications of media content consumable via the devices. A control module grants a child access to the devices and/or media content via the devices based on the levels of access. A monitoring module monitors the child's usage of the devices and/or the child's consumption of media content via the devices, stores a related usage history, and communicates the usage history to the parent.

System and method for automatically rating the content of video media based on video operations performed on a media device and in reference to a plurality of rating rules are provided. Usage of the media device is continuously monitored and user actions with respect to operating the video media on the media device are automatically logged. Each rating rule includes a device usage pattern with respect to operating videos on the media device and a rating action indicating adjustments to content ratings of the videos based upon characteristics described by the device usage pattern that are inferred from the recorded user inputted video control operations. When the device usage pattern of a rating rule is inferred from one or more user actions operating a piece of video media directly on the media device, the content rating of the piece of video media is adjusted based on the rating rule.

A media device suitable for playing video content including television programming is provided. The media device comprises a device usage monitor configured to substantially automatically monitor selected usage information related to video content that is played on the media device; a rating engine configured to substantially automatically generate content ratings for specific video content that has been played by the media device, wherein the content ratings are based at least in part of the usage information; and a user interface suitable for presenting a plurality of content channels to the user, wherein at least some of the presented channels are personalized channels that include video content that is selected based at least in part on the content ratings generated by the rating engine.

A system and method for providing incentives at a merchant location for using a RF identification (RFID) transaction device for transaction completion is provided. An RFID transaction device account number includes a marker for identifying that the transaction is being completed using an RFID transaction device. A merchant system recognizes the marker and provides incentives to the RFID device user accordingly. In one embodiment, the incentives are provided to an RFID device user in real-time. Alternatively, the merchant system may provide the incentives to the customer at a later time. Further still, incentives may be provided to the user based on a prior transaction history, user profile, or any other data related to the user, user account, merchant, product or service.

A method for controlling the operability and functionality of an electronic device with an electronic device detection system begins by determining whether an electronic device is located within the vehicle and proximate to an operator of the vehicle. The electronic device detection system defines a restricted zone in which electronic device use is partially or fully prohibited and a safe zone in which all or some of the functionality of electronic devices is enabled. Once it is determined that an electronic device is in use and within a restricted zone, a determination is made as to whether any usage prohibition conditions are satisfied. If usage prohibition conditions are satisfied, then particular functions of the electronic device may be disabled in a restricted zone. If prohibition conditions are not met, the electronic device may be totally enabled, partially enabled to allow certain functions, or the electronic device is never disabled.

A method for authentication is disclosed. During use, the observed usage of the device is compared to an expected pattern of usage of the device. Deviation between the observed and expected usage indicates that the user might not be authorized to use the device. If the deviation exceeds a threshold, a credential is required from the user to authenticate itself as the authorized user.

The invention is a system and method that targets communications devices with content from service providers, third party content providers, sponsors, promotional partners and advertisers. The invention matches the content with communications device users using customer profiles or device usage profiles and transmits the content to communications devices over a wireless network, via the internet, or other means. The communications devices store the content in an internal repository. The content is later displayed as a result of triggers by designated users' actions.

Embodiments of the invention relate to systems, methods, and computer program products for improved electronic discovery. More specifically, embodiments relate to monitoring or otherwise “watching” the online and/or offline activity of specified computing devices in an enterprise wide electronic discovery system. By determining when a computing device is online/offline and notifying a requesting party of the online/offline status, the requesting party knows when the specified device is available for electronic discovery functions, such as collecting data from the computing device or the like. The monitoring application of the present invention eliminates the need for the requesting party to wait for prolonged periods of time for a computing device to come online or to randomly attempt to find a computing device on line.

A system and method that enables a person to unobtrusively quantify the effect of mobility, physical activity, learning, social interaction and diet on cognitive function. The method records on the electronic device one of global positioning system longitude and latitude coordinates, accelerometer coordinates, and gyroscope coordinates, one of outgoing and incoming phone calls, outgoing and incoming emails, and outgoing and incoming text messages, one of URLs visited on an internet browser application, books read on an e-reader application, games played on game applications, and the nutritional content of food consumed, performs the step of learning a function mapping from those recordings to measurements of cognitive function using a loss function to identify a set of optimal weights that produce a minimum for the loss function, uses those optimal weights to create the function mapping, and performs the step of computing the variance of the cognitive function measurements that is explained by the function mapping to assign an attribution to the effect of physical activity on measured changes in cognitive function.

To improve security for processing of financial transactions on a customer's account, particularly for users of mobile devices, the examples authenticate the customer or user in an effective manner and/or transfer funds upon successful authentication, using intelligence of the customers' mobile devices. The present approach uses an identifier of the mobile device or user at the mobile device. The user is authenticated for a particular desired transaction based on some number of authentication factors, one or more of which is a biometric input. The user authentication technique, e.g. factors used and/or precision of matching of received user authentication factors to reference factors, can be varied based on a variety of parameters, such as transaction amount, time, device location, history of prior transactions or history of other aspects of device usage. The processing avoids storage of sensitive customer data, e.g. account number at a merchant and/or at the customer's mobile device.

In certain embodiments, a device for outputting updated messages a determinate number of times is provided. The device may comprise an output, an input, one or more processors, a memory, a code stored in the memory and executed by the processor, wherein at least one message is received from time to time by the device through the input, and wherein the code selects if and when the at least one message is to be provided on the device via the output a determinate number of times.

The operation of the enabled device can allow the message to be delivered to the user as the result of some action in regards to enabled device usage. Selective delivery can be activated upon enabled device power up, by coming out of a low power “sleep” mode, by going into or out of an idle mode, when a new mode is selected, when new media is presented to the device (including by docking, inserting removable media and/or wireless delivery), when the enabled device is waiting for new media (by the same methods of docking, inserting removable media and/or wireless delivery), when a new channel is selected by the user, using an incremental and/or iterative measurement process monitored by internal software and/or by a database server on a network, starting a new application during some aspect of operation, which can be triggered by an alarm set within the device, and/or an alarm transmitted to the device and/or when it is believed it would be the optimum time to deliver the message to the user.

A vape device system including a payload reservoir that is identified by a payload identifier and that is configured to hold a substance for atomization. A processor is configured to determine an operational setting based on at least one of the payload identifier and a secondary data, which may include user information, prescription information, location information, payload information, historical vape device usage information, and historical payload reservoir information. A vape device system, and method of using the same, that includes a vape device and a computing device that includes the processor. A method of controlling a vape device including determining an operational setting of the vape device based on the payload identifier and/or secondary data. The operational settings may include a duty cycle setting, a temperature setting, an operational time duration, a dosage setting, and a security setting.

A receiver assembly for managing an appliance comprises a receiver that receives a first datacast comprising utility information, a processor that controls the appliance based on the utility information, a display that notifies a user of the utility information, and an input interface that receives instructions from the user on whether to alter appliance usage based on the utility information. When an instruction is received by the input interface to alter usage of the appliance based on the utility information, the appliance is regulated by the utility information in the first datacast and subsequent datacasts until an override instruction occurs. When an override instruction is received, the appliance is not regulated by the utility information in the first datacast and subsequent datacasts until an instruction is received by the input interface from the user to alter usage of the appliance as a function of the utility information.

Disclosed is a method for controlling usage times for at least one device, including the steps of: (a) identifying a device to be controlled; (b) utilizing the device by a user; (c) tracking a device usage value for the device as the user utilizes the device; and (d) initiating an action sequence based upon the device usage value. Also disclosed is an apparatus for controlling usage times for at least one device.

A Technology Asset Tracking System and Method tracks all technology assets including software, hardware and other devices and telecommunications equipment, plans, contracts and agreements, and usage of technology assets from acquisition and assignment to disposal/retirement. An asset database maintains details on each of the devices, including its costs and features. Business rules related to device usage, including compliance policies, are maintained and checked against phone usage to monitor compliance. The system is designed to provide enterprise level configuration and compliance management—to accumulate information about configurations, changes and other data from disparate sources and enable management and data providers to integrate their data into a coherent, seamless unit, using a familiar type of interface.